Spring plate



April '13 192$.

' L.. J. LOQMEE ET AL I SPRING PLATE Filed March m. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I vmw Ww' 2/ April 13 1926. 1,580,912

L. JJLOOMES ET AL SPRING PLATE Filed" March 21. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 13, 192%.

UNITED srarss tte g;

PATENT LEE J.-LOOMIS AND EDWARD B. FURRY, OF UNION, NEVT YORK,ASS IG1\TORS TO' THE UNION FORGING COMPANY, UNION, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW 1 YORK.

. SPRING PLATE.

Application filed March 21, 1924. SeriaI N o. 700,914.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it'known that we, LEE J. LooMIs and EDWARD B. FURRY, citizens of the United States, residin at Union, in the county of Broome and tatcof New York, respectivcly, have invented 'certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Plates, of which the following is a specification, reference being had. therein tothe accompanying drawing; 7 7 v r Our lIIVGIItlOIlI'BliLtQStO new and useful improvements in spring plates more particularly adapted for use-in connection withvehicle springs, the principal object of the invention residing in the provision of such a plate which may be easily connected to or disconnected from the vehicle without the assistance of skilled help and which will engage the under surface of the lowermost leaf of the spring to strengthen the spring at the point of greatest strain or at the center point where the spring bolt usually passes through, the plate also by reason of its structure and the'distribution of weight of the metal of which it is composedpreventing a sidewise swinging movement or weave of the spring. f a

Another object of our invention resides in providing *alongitudinally curved channel within the plateso as tov conform to the longitudinal curvature of the spring with which the. plate is used.

A'still'further object of the invention consists in forming the plate with upwardly extending longitudinal flanges which engagethe side edges of the spring thereby positioning the plate relative to the spring when assembling, the plate havin'g, adjacent each lon itudinal edge, spaced openings to receive bo ts or clips whereby the plate will be connected in position relative to, the spring or to the spring assembly... i

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as our description proceeds, our invention consists in the novel details of construction, and arrangement of parts, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described inthe following specification, and while we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of the invention. as they now appear to us it will be understood that such changes may be made as will fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings: F g.1 is a side elevation. .Fig. 2 1s a section on line 2-2 ofFig. 1.'

OFFICE.

i Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1..

Figs. 4 and 5 aretop and bottom respectively, of our plate.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section line 6 6 of'Fig. 4:; and. p 1 Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical section on the line 77 of Fig. 4. 7 V In the drawings 1 indicates a portion of the .vehicleframe commonly known asashroud, this shroud-beingof inverted U plans.

on the.

shape, as shown, and receives the uppermost portion of the longitudinally curved leaf spring 2 as quite clearly shown in the draw: ings. In the form illustratedin the drawlugs the spring extendstransversely of the vehicle.

Our improvedform of spring plate is indicated at 8, the upper surface of the plate, when in. use,'engaging beneath the lowermost leaf of the spring 2 and being of such a length as to extend a substantial distance to each side of the bolt 4 which passes vertically through the leaves of the spring at the center point. Upwardly extending flanges 5 are formed along the longitudinal edges of the plate and form therebetween a channel 6' for the reception of the lowermost leaves of the spring, the bottom of said channel being longitudinally curved to con form to the longitudinal curvature of the spring. At the ends 7 of the flanges 5are of less height than the intermediate portions so as to allow spring clips, to belater described, of different lengths, to be used. An opening. 8 is formedintermediate the ends of the plate toreceive the head of the vertical openings 10. i

. The under surface. of the plate is cut away as. shown at 11 which leaves a space for the use of a wrench inassemblingand at the corners 1'2 the-under surface ofjthe plate is cutv away .to form a flat bearing surface for the nuts used in assembling. The under surface of the plate is beveled from opposite ends toward the center thus distributing and equalizing the weight of the material in proper proportions for uniform strength throughout its structure. Also, by forming the plate as described, the thickness of the metal being about even on all the differentplanes, the structure proper in shape and adequate 111 strength is provided for distributlng the strains to which the spring is subjected evenly throughout the entire length of the spring.

In assembling or connecting the plate to the vehicle frame and spring we use the usual. saddle clamp so commonly in use upon certain forms of vehicles as well as two spring clips of suitable length. The saddle clamp is indicated generally at 13 and in its well known construction has an opening 14: for the reception of the starting crank and downwardly extending bolts or legs 15 which will pass through the central openings 10 of the plate, the bolts or legs being exteriorly threaded to receive the nuts 16 which when in position will be received in the cut out portion 11 of the under surface of the plate said out out portion 11 providing room for the use of a wrench in applying the nuts. As is shown the saddle clamp engages over the upper surface of the shroud 1 and the sides thereof overlap the side faces of the shroud. Spring clips 17 are positioned on opposite sides of the saddle clamp and the arms or legs of these clips extend through the openings 9 adjacent the ends of the plate. The arms or legs are exteriorly threaded to receive the nuts 18 and when in position the nuts will bear against the under surface of the plate and be received in the cut out corners 12 thereof. By reducing the height of the flanges 5 at points 7 spring clips of different lengths may be used thereby allowing for the use of our plate with springs employing different numbers of leaves. As shown the spring clips also extend over the upper surface of the shroud 1 and parallel with the side faces thereof.

e are well aware that springs have been connected to vehicle frames or shrouds by use of a saddle clamp and a clip yoke which extends beneath the lowermost surface of the spring, the clip yoke being nothing more than a very narrow plate or strip having openings adjacent the ends to receive the legs of the saddle clamp. With a construction such as this the spring is only'supported at its transverse center line and therefore there is a tendency for the spring to swing relative to the frame or there would be a side weave of the body of the vehicle thereby causing the spring to break at the center. When using a plate such as we have provided the spring is strengthened and the swinging movement of the spring relative to the frame or the side weave of the body relative to the spring is overcome thereby preventing breakage of the spring at the center point. Our 1111- proved form of plate is provided with a longitudinally extending channel to receive the spring and the bottom of this channel is longitudinally curved to conform to the longitudinal curvature of the spring. Upwardly extending side flanges are also pro vided which engage the side edges of the lowermost leaves of the spring and central openings are provided adjacent the longitudinal edges of the plate to receive the legs of the saddle clamp. The plate is of such a length as to extend some little distance to each side of the transverse center of the spring thereby supporting the under surface of the spring for quite a little dis tance and adjacent each corner there is an opening to receive the legs of spring clips which extend over the frame or shroud of the vehicle on opposite sides of the saddle clamp. It will thus be seen that we have provided a novel form of plate which supports and strengthens the spring and that said plate is supported not only adjacent the tranverse center but adjacent each end whereby it is securely held in position and the spring is so held relative to the frame or shroud as to prevent side weave of the body or spring thereby not only preventing the tendency of the spring to break but atthe same time it has been found, by actual experience, that the vehicle will ride much more smoothly thereby adding to the com-. 100 fort of the occupant.

Having fully described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A spring plate comprising a bottom 1 and upwardly extending flanges formed along the longitudinal edges thereof to form a channel therebetween, the ends of the flanges extending beyond the ends of the bottom and having openings therein.

2. A spring plate comprising a bottom formed of longitudinally spaced portions and upwardly extending flanges formed integral therewith, the flanges bridging the space between the bottom portions and 115 forming a longitudinally extending channel.

3. A spring plate comprising a bottom formed of longitudinally spaced portions and upwardly extending flanges formed integral therewith. the flanges bridging the space between the bottom portions and forming a longitudinally extending channel and the ends of the flanges extending beyond the outer ends of the bottom and having openings therein.

4:. A spring plate comprising a bottom formed of longitudinally spaced portions and upwardly extending flanges formed intogral therewith, the upper surfaces of the bottom portions being downwardly curved towards their outer ends and the flanges bridging the space between the bottom portions and forming a longitudil'lally extending channel.

5. A spring plate comprising a bottom formed of longitudinally spaced portions, and flanges formed integral with said bottom portions and spanning the space therebetween.

6. A spring plate comprising a bottom between, said flanges having openings there- V in to receive means whereby the plate may be secured 1n posltion.

In testlnnony whereof we hereunto aifix our signatures.

LEE J. LOOMIS. EDWARD B. FURRY. 

